Jude Adjei-Barimah

Buccaneers CB Jude Adjei-Barimah Suspended Four Games

It’s been a busy day for the Buccaneers, as the team lost a player on both sides of the ball. The organization announced that cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah has been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance enhancing substances. Meanwhile, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter) that the Buccaneers have also placed offensive lineman Ben Gottschalk on the injured reserve. Cornerback Javien Elliot and offensive lineman Josh Allen have been promoted from the practice squad to take the open roster spots.

Jude Adjei-BarimahAdjei-Barimah, an undrafted free agent in 2015, has been relatively productive during his one-plus season in the league. Following a solid rookie campaign, the cornerback has compiled 22 tackles, two sacks, and two passes defended in 10 games (one start) this season. The second-year pro released a statement regarding the suspension:

“I take a lot of pride in the hard work and dedication that I put in all year in preparation for each season and that is why this situation is so difficult for me personally. As a member of this team, it is very disappointing to have to miss the next four games and not be out there battling with my teammates as we go down the stretch. I apologize to my family, the Bucs organization, my teammates, as well as the fans for this situation. I promise to stay focused and be ready for the last two games of the regular season.”

With Adjei-Barimah out until at least December 19th, the team will likely rely on Alterraun Verner and Josh Robinson to spell starters Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes.

Gottschalk, a former undrafted rookie out of SMU, made his NFL debut earlier this month. The lineman started this past weekend’s contest against the Chiefs while his fellow lineman recovered from injury. The Buccaneers should see the return of three lineman this week in Kevin Pamphile, Evan Dietrich-Smith, and Leonard Wester.

The additions of Elliot and Allen will briefly fill the holes caused by Adjei-Barimah’s suspension and Gottschalk’s injury. Allen played three games for the Buccaneers back in 2014, while Elliot is a former walk-on for the FSU football team. The duo have spent the entire season on the Buccaneers’ practice squad.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/15

Here are today’s minor signings, cuts and other transactions from around the NFL as 28 teams are making their final preparations for Week 4.

  • A fixture in this space, defensive end Frank Kearse once again received notice of his being cut by Washington, Mike Jones of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter), to make room for cornerback Deshazor Everett‘s promotion from the practice squad. Initially, Washington waived Everett, an undrafted player out of Texas A&M who signed with the Bucs initially, last month. But now with Chris Culliver questionable for Sunday’s game with a knee injury, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter), cornerback depth is needed. Kearse has played in 31 games since 2011, including 15 with Washington in 2014, but has been yo-yoing on and off the Washington roster this season.
  • The Packers activated suspended defensive tackle Letroy Guion, who will take injured tight end Andrew Quarless‘ place on the 53-man roster, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com (on Twitter). Guion missed three games due to a substance abuse-induced suspension. Green Bay placed Quarless on short-term IR with an MCL sprain.
  • The Packers also made a move to fortify their ailing receiving corps, promoting Jared Abbrederis from their practice squad, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports. To make room for the second-year receiver from Wisconsin, Green Bay cut defensive lineman Bruce Gaston. The Packers downgraded Davante Adams from questionable to doubtful, creating a void at the position. Abbrederis has reportedly excelled as a practice-squadder thus far this season, according to the Milwauke Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (Twitter link).
  • After punting 10 times against the Seahawks last weekend, Pat O’Donnell will miss the Bears‘ game against the Raiders with a knee injury. As a result, the Bears signed Spencer Lanning, per Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The Browns’ punter in 2013-14 before their trade for Andy Lee, Lanning spent time with the Broncos this summer before being a preseason cut. The Bears waived defensive tackle Brandon Dunn to make room, but Finley adds he could be a practice squad candidate.
  • The Buccaneers promoted cornerback Jude Adjei-Barimah to their 53-man roster and cut tackle Reid Fragel, Jenna Laine of SportsTalkFlorida.com reports (on Twitter). The longtime Bucs scribe indicates that the promotion of the undrafted rookie provides an indication as to whether regular right corner Johnthan Banks, who left the Bucs’ Week 3 game with a knee malady, will play Sunday.

Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC South

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC South teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Falcons, Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers are noted below.

Additionally, as of 11:00am today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. For the 2014 and 2015 seasons, changes were made to practice squad rules that allow teams to carry eight players instead of 10, and the eligibility requirements for those extra two spots were also loosened. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s NFC South transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs Announce Remaining Cuts, Down To 53

The Buccaneers have confirmed a number of previously-reported transactions, including the release of kicker Connor Barth and defensive end Da’Quan Bowers, and have announced the rest of their moves to get their roster down to 53 players.

Here’s the full list of Tampa Bay’s transactions that weren’t included in our story from this morning, as announced by the team in a press release.

Placed on injured reserve:

  • DE Larry English

Released:

  • DE Lawrence Sidbury

Waived:

  • CB Jude Adjei-Barimah
  • WR Kaelin Clay
  • T Edawn Coughman
  • DE Ryan Delaire
  • WR Donteea Dye
  • LB Josh Keyes
  • DT Caushaud Lyons

Waived/injured:

  • OL Garrett Gilkey

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/15

Here are today’s minor signings, cuts, and other moves from around the NFL…

AFC:

  • The Browns have re-signed undrafted rookie defensive back Landon Feichter, as Nate Ulrich of the Beacon-Journal writes. The 5’11”, 201-pound Feichter originally signed with the Browns on May 11 after participating in the team’s rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. He was waived on June 22. Feichter appeared in 45 games as a safety at Purdue University and tallied 234 career tackles, 10 interceptions and eight passes defensed.
  • The Steelers have removed linebacker Shawn Lemon from their roster, waiving him from the PUP list and signing defensive back Jordan Sullen to take his place, tweets PR man Burt Lauten.
  • The Ravens have waived undrafted rookie wide receiver Cam Worthy and signed Tom Nelson, who is converting from safety to wide receiver, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets.
  • The Colts have signed cornerback Raymon Taylor, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Taylor played collegiately at Michigan.
  • The Chiefs have parted ways with running back Cyrus Gray, who finished last season on the team’s injured reserve list, tweets Wilson.
  • The Dolphins have signed defensive tackle Calvin Barnett, wide receiver Kai De La Cruz, offensive tackle Chris Martin, and waived defensive lineman Ellis McCarthy, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter).
  • Fullback James Develin, who received an exclusive rights qualifying offer from the Patriots way back in March, has finally signed it today, according to Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
  • After clearing waivers, wide receiver James Wright has been placed on the IR by the Bengals, tweets Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

NFC:

  • The Falcons have signed offensive lineman Demarcus Love, bringing the roster up to 90 players, the team announced today in a press release. Love, who finished last season on the Broncos’ practice squad, worked out for the Browns yesterday, and inked a two-year deal with Atlanta, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com (Twitter links).
  • The Buccaneers, entering the day with one open roster spot, created two more openings by cutting defensive backs Deshazor Everett and Derrick Wells, according to a team release. To get back up to 90 players, the Bucs added rookie defensive backs Jude Adjei-Barimah and Al-Hajj Shabazz and free agent safety Kimario McFadden, who spent time on the Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Carolina practice squads in 2014
  • The Bears announced that guard Chad Hamilton, who missed a lot of time in the spring, is retiring from football, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Hamilton has been placed on the reserve/retired list.
  • The Saints have signed long snapper Chris Highland, according to Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune (on Twitter).
  • Having cleared waivers, Cameron Lawrence, and offensive lineman Ryan Miller have been placed on the Cowboys‘ injured reserve list, per Wilson (Twitter link).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.